A Look Back At How 10 Deep Changed The Rap Game Forever

By now, we’re all familiar with 10 Deep’s dominance in the streetwear world. Known for being one of the most consistent, innovative brands out there, there has never been a season when 10 Deep did not win us over. However, what many people may not know is their history in the music industry and they irrevocably changed the course of popular music in the mid 2000’s.

Helping launch the careers of some (now) very big artists, it seems like 10 Deep has just always had a sense for what’s good. Scroll through and see how many of your favorite artists used the brand as a platform to spread their message.

After the success of his debut tape, 100 Miles and Running, Wale knew he needed to follow up with another classic. As the first Seinfeld-themed mixtape in hip hop history, the DC native won over scores of new fans and helped propel his career to the next level. Oh, and he just casually had a Lil Wayne feature on his biggest single to date on here too. 10 Deep definitely saw something in him and were rewarded for it in a major way.

Believe it or not, Kid Cudi launched his debut mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, through 10 Deep’s website in 2008. Considering this was the tape that got Cudi noticed by Kanye, this was a HUGE deal. It also contained his smash single, “Day N Nite” which pretty much was the only thing you heard that year. We don’t even know what else to say here, so let’s just leave it here. 10 Deep, 2, everyone else, 0.

Back in the mid 2000’s, DJ Benzi was on everything. On The New Deal, he brought out all the heavy hitters from Kanye, Donnis, Charles Hamilton (before he got punched in the face), and the aforementioned artists. Again, 10 Deep was ahead of the curve and had the exclusive on this, giving the world never before heard music from the upper echelon artists in the game. Not too shabby at all.

Want to hear the whole story on how 10Deep came to be? Check out our 1-on-1 interview with founder and director, Scott Sasso.